Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, birthdays,
anniversaries… All are occasions that a husband may choose to give flowers to
his wife. This long-standing practice
symbolizes love and beauty given to a beloved, beautiful bride. These flowers
are often displayed in an attractive vase set in a location that draws the eye of
all who enter the room.
Each spring, garden centers display an array of
colorful plants ready for purchase. Alongside trees, vegetables and greenery,
one can find a wide variety of flowering plants intended to bring beauty to a
yard or a home’s interior. Plants can be either annuals or perennials. Annuals
bring wonderful color and beauty for a single season and then leave the land
open for new plants the following year. Perennials are more permanent. Once
planted, they can remain in the ground to bloom over and over again for years
to come. Although the colorful flowers may be present for only a portion of the
season, life continues to be seen in the leaves of these wonderful plants.
The beautiful riot of color found in flowers mirrors
to the colorful diversity of God’s work in our lives.
Some blessings are given to us simply by grace as a
display of God’s love for us. Creation, salvation and righteousness are all
given to us solely by grace. God created the heavens and the earth and all its
beauty with us in mind. Jesus paid the price for our salvation and our
righteousness is found in Him only. These gifts are given to us purely out of
God’s abundant love. “…as
the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.” (Isaiah 62:5b AMP) Living a life
for God, we display these wonderful gifts of grace. “However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the
Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power
may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves.” (2 Corinthians 4:7 AMP)
God has also selected from His vast array of gifts and calls the perfect
plan for your life. The ability join with Him and produce beauty is continually
available. “For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never
withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about
those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.]” (Romans
11:29 AMP) God never takes away His
grace or abandons His children. His purpose and call upon our life endures, but
it may not look continually the same.
Like the
annual plants, some of the work God chooses to do may only be for a short
season. Our purposes are fulfilled and God will move us on to something else. Any
future work to be done will be by someone else that God sends. “He who plants and he who waters are equal (one in aim, of
the same importance and esteem),”
(1 Corinthians 3:8a AMP) He will provide the new beauty for the every
season.
Other areas of ministry are more like the perennial plants. God can
choose to place abilities and passions in us to use some for a lifetime. We may
be planted and remain in a plot of spiritual ground for many years. Even in
this, there will be seasons of rest and even dormancy. We must be content with
all aspects of our calling. This includes the rather mundane but life-giving
activities, (green foliage) stunning activity (full, colorful bloom) or a
period of rest. (Winter) “Whatever may be your task, work at
it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men,”
(Colossians
3:23 AMP) We are to be faithful in all stages and use
our time and gifts well, always drawing from the rich soil of God’s word and
love.
Receive the gifts of
God’s grace just because He loves you. Display them well. Walk in His service whether your steps are for
a short season or lifetime work. Bloom
well. All this is beautiful!
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